Art Education Mission Statement

The Art Education program at CCS combines an internationally recognized BFA degree with dynamic and innovative teacher preparation courses. In keeping with the CCS mission of producing the finest artists in their respective fields, the Art Education Department prepares teacher candidates to be leaders in diverse educational communities and beyond. Through a rigorous professional program in content and pedagogy, students foster a love of teaching and learning, understanding of learner-centered needs, and mastery of studio/classroom best practices.

Outcomes

CCS Art Education students will be prepared to design and deliver age-appropriate K-12 visual art and design curricula that address the needs of a rapidly evolving technologically based society, as well as understanding the underpinnings of visual art as a cornerstone in the American education system.
AE certified students must be able to:

  • draw and teach concepts of observation and perspective drawing
  • construct and teach concepts of 2-D composition applying the elements and principles of art and design
  • Apply and teach concepts of 3-D design
  • Create and teach visual composition in traditional and digital formats
  • Organize and construct written lesson plans
  • Verbally communicate ideas and concepts
  • Discern and Integrate concepts of art in math, social science, natural science, and English language arts

Quantifiable Goals: The institution must set annual quantifiable goals for increasing the number of prospective teachers trained in teacher shortage areas designated by the Department of Education or by the state education agency.

The College for Creative Studies offers teacher certification in one content area, Visual Arts Education. The College sets annual enrollment goals for the Art Education Program, which has been met. Since the program’s inception in 2005 the number of Art Education graduates have grown steadily ranging from 7 in 2008/09 to a total of 115 as of 2021. CCS Art Education Program currently has 45 students admitted into the Art Education Department. Art education is a designated a teacher shortage area by the Michigan Department of Education.

Assurances: The institution must provide assurances to the Department of Education regarding training related identified needs of local education agencies or states and the needs of schools, training of special education teachers, training in providing instruction to diverse populations, and training to effectively teach in urban and rural schools, as applicable.

Located in the heart of Detroit CCS prepares art education teachers for initial certification in visual arts education in grades Kindergarten through 12. Upon completion of the program, our graduates are qualified to teach art education in urban, suburban, public and private institutions.

The Art Education Department partners with a grade 6 through 12 charter school the University Prep of Art and Design (UPAD): located on our campus. Serving students from the surrounding Detroit neighborhood UPAD provides a rich learning experience for early teacher training. CCS Art Education students complete many of their 120 required hours of field experience in the charter school.

Additionally, CCS Art Education students complete a minimum of 10 hours of field experience/practicum at facilities for children with special needs during their course of study.

Art Education students are also required to complete 20 hours of Service Learning, in community centers, neighborhood schools, or special programs designed to serve the needs of the immediate community. To complete their directed teaching experience students are placed in urban and suburban schools in the Metropolitan Detroit Area. Currently our students are placed in such diverse urban and suburban communities as Detroit, Dearborn, Southfield, Utica, Novi, Howell, Chippewa Valley, Eastpointe, and Rochester Hills.

MTTC Pass rate

College for Creative Studies Michigan Test For Teacher Certification LQ 095 Visual Arts Education Cumulative pass rate for program year August 2018 – July 2021 was 100%.

Program Information – admissions criteria

Post-Degree Admittance Policy

All post-degree students are required to complete the 27 credit CCS Art Education Professional. Program including Service Learning, 115 hours of Field Service, and take all required Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification (MTTC) as described in Tiers I and II below.

Post-degree students are considered Teaching Certification (TC) candidates, obtaining their Art Education LQ95 teaching endorsement only. If they have earned a BFA degree from CCS or an Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) institution their BFA degree is accepted without a portfolio review. Students seeking admittance with an earned BFA or BA degree from an accredited private or state college or university will have to submit a portfolio for review by the Chair of the Art Education Department and the Director of Admissions.

Once accepted, the Chair of the Art Education Department will review the student’s transcripts to appropriately place undergraduate credits. Post-degree students must have passed courses in one Math (3 hours), two Social Science (6 hours), three English (9 hours), and four Art History (12 hours), which could include 3 credits in aesthetics and 3 credits in art criticism, as approved by the Chair of the Art Education Department.

Additionally, course work must include 26 hours of studio art or design, including 18 hours of Foundations and Studio Art as well as 8 hours of advanced level art courses (300 level or above) in one studio area, as required by Michigan State LQ standards. Acceptance of course credit and credit based on portfolio review is defined below and up to the discretion of the Chair of the Art Education Department.

Most post-degree students can complete the CCS Art Education professional program in three or four semesters depending on the number of undergraduate or studio courses required to meet the Michigan State entry-level teaching standards. Typically, 27 to 33 credits are required to complete the program including one semester of Directed Teaching (Student Teaching) worth 12 credits.

Alternate Means To Attain Credits: College Level Examinations Program(CLEP)

CLEP tests the student’s general knowledge in one of more than 33 subjects; information on these tests is available online at www.collegeboard.com/clep. CLEP exams cost approximately $90. A satisfactory score will earn the student 3 college credits in the subject area of the test. The Art Education Department is willing to accept CLEP credit for up to two liberal arts courses and one math course. If a student wishes to take a CLEP examination to test out of one or more of their courses, he/she must receive approval from both the Registration Office and the Art Education Department prior to taking the test. Without such approval, the student may not receive credits for the tests taken and passed.

Portfolio Review For Credit

It may be possible for students to receive credits toward required studio courses based on portfolio review. The Art Education Department is willing to grant credit by portfolio review only on a limited basis. Students wishing to have their portfolios reviewed should contact the Chair of the Art Education Department to set an appointment.